Sunday, March 29, 2009

Homemade Manicotti Shells

This is the easiest recipe ever for homemade manicotti shells, sooooo delicious. I've been to restaurants before where their manicotti shells are so delicate and I've always wondered how in the world they got their shells to be sooo good when the shells I use at home seem so, gross. You can even use this recipe to make the pasta sheets for lasagna as well. You'll love it as much as my family does! Enjoy!

Four eggs

1 and a half cups of flour

1 and a half cups of water

3/4 teaspoon of salt

Take your eggs, flour, water and salt and mix until blended. As you can see in the above picture, the blend is very watery, don't be alarmed, you want it this way!

Lightly oil a frying pan and then heat the pan for about a minute over medium high heat. Spoon in the batter or use a dry measuring cup to pour the batter into the middle of the pan.

Quickly and carefully tild the pan in a circular motion until the batter forms a round, thin layer in the pan. (Similar to a crepe).

Cook about 1 to 2 minutes until the shell surface appears dry.

Carefully turn the manicotti shell over using a spatuland cook for an additional 20-30 seconds.

Stack cooked shells on a plate between waxed paper for later use.

Now it's time to assembly the Manicotti. Take one of your shells and add cheese in the center.

Spoon a generous helping of the ricotta cheese. (Add 3 eggs, salt and cheese to the ricotta cheese at least 30 minutes prior to assembling the Manicotti).

Now fold like a burrito and place in baking pan. Repeat steps until your pan is full of manicotti shells filled with cheese mix.

Pour sauce over the shells.

Top with cheese. Cover with foil. Put into pre-heated oven for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

homemade manicotti IS the absolute best... and SO easy! I used to make this quite frequently when I worked for a family years ago...thanks for putting this recipe up & reminding me how easy it is. I'm gonna put it on our next menu! Yummmmmmmmmmmmmy! :-}

That looks soooo good! I am with Jaime in that I am equally as impressed that you made your own shells. I will definately be brave and try that out to see how it goes. :) But overall the whole process doesnt look that difficult- I think I can swing it and incorpotate my mother-in-laws "secret Italian sauce" recipe. :) Thanks for the post- I can't wait to try it out!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! Many years ago I spent a week with my italian gram learning to make all of her secret recipies making her stop with each hand full of ingredient so I could measure it and write it down...I went to make the manicotti today, and my recipe is MISSING!!!!! Thank you for putting it on your blog...this is just how she did it!You made my day!Laura Ettema

I made this about a week ago.... most of the ingredients are something you usually have... ricotta cheese was about the only thing I had to spring for. Lemme tell you, it was soooo easy and delicious! The kids absolutely loved it and so did we... this will definitely be made again!!! I work full time and came home and whipped these up in no time! YUMMY! Thanks Jen for sharing this....

Little Tricks of the Trade

Potatoes:

To keep them from budding, place an apple in the bag with potatoes.

Celery:

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator, and it will keep for weeks.

Apples:

Refrigerated apples last up to 10 times longer than those left at room temperature. To prevent apples from speeding up the ripening process of other items in your produce drawer, store them in a plastic or brown paper bag.